Paerson wins GS in native Sweden to extend overall lead

22/02/2004 13:49 ARE, Sweden (AP) _ Anja Paerson of Sweden followed a 10th-place morning run with a blistering second heat to win a World Cup giant slalom on Sunday and extend her lead in the overall standings. Paerson had a combined time of 2 minutes, 15.64 seconds down the Olympia course. It was the third straight GS win of the season for Paerson, who had already wrapped up the season title in the discipline. Maria Jose Rienda Contreras of Spain was second, 0.53 seconds behind, for her best GS finish of the season. Elisabeth Goergl of Austria placed third, 0.73 back. Renate Goetschl, another Austrian and Paerson's only rival for the overall title, wound up 33rd in the opening run and failed to qualify for the second run. Goetschl won the super-G on Saturday. With her win, Paerson extended her lead to 123 points over Goetschl in the overall standings. Six races remain, including four in the gate events. That will clearly favor Paerson as Goetschl scores most of her points in the speed events. Paerson now has 21 career World Cup wins, including 10 this season. First-run leader Denise Karbon of Italy dropped to fourth, 1:01 behind.

Goetschl wins super-G; gains ground on Paerson
 
21/02/2004 13:30 ARE, Sweden (AP) _ Renate Goetschl of Austria won a women's super-G on one of her favorite hills Saturday, gaining ground on Sweden's Anja Paerson in the overall World Cup standings. Goetschl sped down the 1,801-meter Olympia course, designed by former Swiss downhill great Bernhard Russi, in 1 minute, 09.22 seconds. Carole Montillet of France finished second, 0.22 behind, and Brigitte Obermoser capped a fine day for the Austrian team in third place, 0.28 behind. It was the fourth victory for Goetschl in Are, Scandinavia's leading ski resort that will host the 2007 World Championships for the second time. She won two downhill races on the same course and the combined, a "paper event" that combines the DH and the slalom. Goetschl came into the meet trailing Paerson by 112 points in the overall standings. For the win, the Austrian earned 100 points but still trails the Swede going into Sunday's giant slalom here. Paerson was 17th with still a dozen skiers to complete the race. In the super-G standings, Goetschl passed Germany's Hilde Gerg, who skied out. Goetschl now leads Gerg 431 points to 345, virtually clinching the discipline's season title.

General Standing
 
World cup Leader

Maier Hermann
07.12.1972 (Flachau)
Ski: Atomic
 
  Maier Hermann  1054
  Raich Benjamin  985
  Miller Bode  983
  Eberharter Stefan  959
  Kjus Lasse  824
  Palander Kalle  806
  Rahlves Daron  720
  Walchhofer Michael  693
  Knauss Hans  669
  Schifferer Andreas  584
  
World cup Leader

Paerson Anja
25.04.1981 (Tarnaby)
Ski: Salomon
 
  Paerson Anja  1331
  Gotschl Renate  1208
  Montillet Carole  935
  Gerg Hilde  870
  Dorfmeister Michaela  852
  Riesch Maria  665
  Ertl Martina  646
  Meissnitzer Alexandra  609
  Hosp Nicole  566
  Styger Nadia  474
 

Next Races
28.02.2004 Kranjska Gora (SLO) GS
28.02.2004 Levi (FIN) SL
29.02.2004 Kranjska Gora (SLO) SL
29.02.2004 Levi (FIN) SL
06.03.2004 Kvitfjell (NOR) DH
07.03.2004 Kvitfjell (NOR) SG